The Negative Consequences Of Civil Disobedience

We are all taught from a young age the difference between right and wrong. We are taught that following the law is right, and breaking it is wrong. As we get older, however, we learn that not all laws are just ones. While a government in a free society will typically do its best to protect its citizens, there are times in which it allows laws to be passed that do not allow all of the nation’s citizens to prosper. Civil disobedience is at times a necessary action in correcting unjust government behaviors, and ensuring freedom and equality for all people within a society.

Civil disobedience acts as a force for evolutionary change in government and relieves the pressure that might otherwise create a need for revolutionary change. "In effect, in a democracy, apart from internal channels of expression of will -- the right to vote, strikes, demonstrations -- there is civil disobedience, a final stabilising mechanism functioning at once inside and outside of the system, actiing as a safety valve or social conflict, in that pressure-cooker which, in difficult times, is society (Tella, 2004, pg. 65)."

What is civil disobedience? Civil disobedience is the opposing of a law one finds unjust by refusing to follow it and accepting the consequences. So many people have performed acts of civil disobedience from Martin Luther King Jr. to everyday people. But what people did as civil disobedience a hundred years ago is completely different today. It is such an important part of a free society because it helps to define what a free society is, shows the true meaning of freedom of speech, and shows the government that citizens are not willing to follow an unjust law without violence.

The immense raw emotion of protesters grasping the nation’s attention is sensational in the sense of the people’s spoken word of how the government interprets their way of living. The fact that the people of the nation are allowed to have freedom of speech is phenomenal. Civil disobedience has already had an impact on the 21st century in the first two decades with the Ferguson riots to the riots across the nation for the 45th president's election to office. During all these riots of civil disobedience, none truly got to the point of their purpose to the public. These examples provide that civil disobedience has a negative impact on society due to lack of respect to the public's eye on the issue, peaceful protests can turn violent, and property damage for cities to handle afterward.

In the United States Constitution we the people were given a right to freedom of speech. People have taken to this right given to us by the Founding Fathers. But, one problem rises to the top with a right that has so much freedom, civil disobedience. It’s a topic that we are seeing more of in our society today. Civil disobedience is a threat against our free society due to people not taking our laws serious enough.

Civil disobedience is the refusal to conform to certain laws as a form of harmless political protest, while being aware of the consequences that could result because of it. Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society because actions are taken due to people letting their voice be heard. While some may argue that the main reasons of this are the five basic rights mentioned in the first amendment (freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition), this issue goes far beyond that. Without civil disobedience, many historical events might have not played such an important role as they did to the point that they changed America in numerous ways; not to mention the courageous people who still take part in protests today to claim the rights they should have.

Civil disobedience plays an important and great role in the world. It is a major and effective part of many processes that combat injustice and immorality. In the past, it has helped countries gain independence, combatted racial segregation, affected countries’ involvement in wars and much more. People such as Parks and Gandhi have fought the immoral laws which led to thousands of millions of people having the opportunity to live a future without prejudice, discrimination and oppression because they held up their beliefs and demonstrated he importance of civil

The act of violating the laws and authority of the state is justified only when the measures taken by the state are contrary to the morals, ethics, and public opinion of the governed. On the occasion that truly “unjust” rule is forced upon a citizenry, violating that authority can be validated. The factors which contribute to an unjust governance are the states’ adherence to common morality, the power structure of the government, how closely it follows the public will, and the ethical consideration taken by the power. Civil disobedience, however, must be exercised cautiously and with extreme restraint, because if the private individual has the power to neglect the law due to personal interest, the society will deteriorate into chaos. Although Sophocles’ Antigone and Plato’s Crito do not exhibit a shared interpretation of when it is justified to disobey the state, considering both pieces will strengthen an understanding of when it is appropriate to practice a degree of law breaking.

Civil disobedience is the refusal to conform to a society or a set of laws. Civil disobedience has come a long way from its beginning. It has been developing and will continue for generations to come, as it is considered a duty of a person. The opinions and beliefs of civil disobedience cultured in our society by both Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. are still present in our modern-day society; nevertheless, these opinions and beliefs still need to be expanded in order to keep up with the fast-growing population.

Civil disobedience has gained a significant number of people their rights and continues to make a difference. Defiance has inspired a generous amount of change in the world around us, and provided frequent opportunities for creation.Without our capacity to disobey, we would never have been able to question authority and make incredible advancements in science. We would not have even created our own country. Although some rules can help to prevent situations total anarchy, disobedience has unequivocally had a major positive impact on

Civil disobedience is a belief that is practiced in which the people disobey the law in a peaceful manner because it does not come to an agreement with their moral values. Over the years this idea of challenging the government has developed into a duty for the people. This concept is explained in the piece “Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau and “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. They both express acts of passive resistance in which the impact is still felt in the modern world. Although, these ideologies were used in Thoreau and King’s time, they need to be updated to fit in today’s world.

How does the social responsibility of intellectuals to demonstrate civil disobedience differ from Lincoln and MLK’s time and today as demonstrated by Black lives matter and Antifa

Civil disobedience is the active refusal to comply with laws that is thought to be unfair or inequitable. Civil disobedience typically is a peaceful form of protest by the people, to force concessions from the government. Throughout the United States history, civil disobedience has played a significant role in many of the social reforms that helped frame our country today. Several famous American activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. risked punishment, such as violent retaliatory acts or imprisonment, to attempt to bring about changes in the law. Civil disobedience has forced our government to recognize and talk through social problems to find solutions that worked for everyone, although in some instances it has deemed illegal, resulting in prosecution.

Civil disobedience is the act of opposing a law one considers unjust and peacefully disobeying it while accepting the consequences. This peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society and overtime, makes it more “free.” Remonstrating unjust laws also reveals how corrupt our society today is as a whole considering the hatred and retaliation exerted towards protestors. Overall, civil disobedience is necessary for society to adapt to the new norms of the forever-changing world.

Civil disobedience, is often the last step that people take to bring attention to a topic or subject that they feel strongly about. Every day is full of unjust rulings that may not be to everyone’s liking. Many people fight for what they believe in even if the outcome is bleak. You are your own self and you will always have your opinion that may not match all other citizen’s. Civil disobedience has escalated to a majority of non- violent protesting, although there are some cases including violence. It is a form of rebelling against what they feel is unfair or unconstitutional. Showing civil disobedience is an act that you must be willing to accept the legal consequences, which may include incarceration.